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When we were safe…

I had left the courtroom and for the first time in what seemed like forever, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. It had seemed like an eternity since I’d known a peaceful life, one where I could not leave my family for ten minutes without fearing that it would be the last time I would have seen them. I should have known better than to tangle with loan sharks, I should have known that by trying to secure my families’ future via these vile predators, I had actually put more than just our home at risk. But that was all over now, consigned to the annals of a nightmarish history.

I picked up my phone and scrolled through the contacts until I found her, I felt a celebratory breakfast was in order. It had been so long since we’d felt able to go out somewhere for a good meal, and I had just the place in mind, the cafe where we first met five years ago. I’d got there early and sat straight in our booth, just around the corner from the counter, the smell of coffee and freshly baked goods brought with them a wave of joy. I looked out the window and saw my trio of angels standing at the traffic lights, the youngest so eager to press the button that made the little green man appear. I felt the phone vibrate again, without thinking I took the call, and a voice every bit as cold as the crisp morning air said something that sent ice through my phone and into my bloodstream.

‘Congratulations on winning the case, I expect that you think you’re debt problems are over eh? Think you’ve cheated me out of that £10,000 you owe me you snake?’

The traffic light turned amber

‘Well I have some good news for you Tommy boy, I’m a honourable man and I fully respect the word of the law. They say the debt’s illegal, and that you don’t owe me a penny. I accept the court’s ruling and from this day forwards, you can kiss your debt goodbye.’

…green, hands linked, they stepped out onto the road. Tears began to fill my eyes, but the emotion behind them had since changed drastically, I tried to motion to them to turn, to go back. But they simply waved back at me.

‘However this poses me a challenge Tom. Thanks to you, I’ve made a loss, and I’m not a man who likes to lose. It hurts me buddy, leaves a void, understand? Since I’m not allowed to take a penny off you, I’ve had to get creative about how best to solve this little conundrum, and I think I’ve come up with a solution which will make us even…’

‘RUN!’ I screamed through both the window and my haze of tears ‘RUN!’

I heard the engines rev. I saw the car hurtling towards it’s defenceless targets. I heard the screams, the sickening thud and the engines fade into the distance.